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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be sad that I need to ear medical stockings at 30?

28 replies

Flyingfish2019 · 13/04/2019 06:37

... and I am not overweight and enjoy sports. It is just bad genes and having four children i guess.
Gp has suggested I should wear them from now on and I am only 30. I think they are so ugly. I prefer dresses and skirts to trousers and wonder if I can keep dressing like this because those stockings look so ugly.
I often wear tights but natural looking ones. Cannot find medical stockings that match the colour of my skin and am very unhappy. Has someone been there?

OP posts:
Original poster
Flyingfish2019 · 13/04/2019 06:48

Nobody else? Leaves me feeling even more ugly?

OP posts:
Whereareyouspot · 13/04/2019 06:50

Why do you need them?
Sounds like it was only a suggestion and not an absolute so maybe just wear them under trousers or during sport and take them off for smarter days or nights out?

Looobyloo · 13/04/2019 06:53

Are they compression ones? There is a company that does different coloured ones I think. I had to wear one a few years ago after a dvt.

RebeccaCloud9 · 13/04/2019 06:53

Don't worry when you don't have replies for a few minutes still in the very early hours. There will be more replies soon!

Original poster
Flyingfish2019 · 13/04/2019 06:56

I have varicosis. I have been operated on four times so far but it always comes back. I have always worn medical stockings for six weeks after I was operated on but that was always in winter (varicosis is worse in the summer month that is why people are operated on in winter). I wear jeans in winter... but now my go suggested I wear medical stockings next summer because the heat is actually bad for the veins.

I feel so ugly in those stockings.

OP posts:
Original poster
Flyingfish2019 · 13/04/2019 06:59

Yes, they are compression ones, ccl2 ones.
I know they come in different colors but I am unhappy with any of them because they always look like compression stockings. I am so unhappy because they do not come in my skin colour. Maybe I will choose a very bright colour and combine it with white or grey dresses to have a contrast. Not sure yet.
Which colors did you choose and why?

OP posts:
Divgirl2 · 13/04/2019 07:03

There's a company (compressionsockshop, not sure if I'm allowed to link) who do nice colours, and even ones that are incorporated into tights. That might be an idea?

Looobyloo · 13/04/2019 07:05

I was given two choices Black or tan so choose black. I only had to wear it on one leg and I wear trousers mainly so apart for being very uncomfortable it wasn't a problem. I only had to wear it for a few months as luckily my leg fully healed.

DreamingofSunshine · 13/04/2019 07:08

I had to wear them in pregnancy over the summer. I felt very self conscious but I got used to them and realised no one was looking at my legs. I found toe less ones online so I could wear sandals which helped.

Xiaoxiong · 13/04/2019 07:10

When I had to wear them in late summer a few years ago after an op I wore big slouchy linen trousers over them, I just had the white NHS issue ones. I'm sorry you're feeling sad about wearing them, I didn't like it either. However - when I wore them I was so aware of them but nobody else cared at all. Thanks for you OP and much sympathy, I've been there too x

Original poster
Flyingfish2019 · 13/04/2019 07:12

Thanks a lot for your advice divgirl and looobyloo. I actually know media and thought about getting medi Magenta or royal blue and combine it with white or grey dresses. I like 50s style Etui dresses most. I am often a traditional and feminine dresser. Etui dresses or skirts and blouse and pearl earrings in the sommer month. I also like to explore rock a billy style.

Typically I am wearing natural looking thighs in my skin colour during Sommer month but cannot find medical stockings that match my skin colour. So maybe I try very bright ones.

How do you think about it?

OP posts:
Herja · 13/04/2019 07:13

You can definitely get sheer compression tights for shitty veins, rather than the socks. My grandma got me some (she has terrible varicose veins and has for almost 60 years, she swears by them) when my veins got worse after second DC. I can't remember what brand they are though... The skin colour ones are not great, but they had sheer brown, black etc which looked ok.

I'm not great at self care, so I just have bare legs and am in pain by the early evening. Yours sound worse than mine though.

crazycadetmum · 13/04/2019 07:23

As a nurse who treats the legs of those with leg ulcers I can confirm all the studies show that wearing the compression stockings will help prevent leg ulcer which are common in people with venous insufficiency. I myself chose to wear class one stockings to help prevent myself from having any problems with my veins. The stockings may not look pretty but I would rather wear them than have leg ulcers, there is a range of stocking called adore...they are more like ordinary tights and look thinner but of course are more expensive, I think they are made by L and R..check them out. Daylong and credlast do stockings and some are quite funky.

Original poster
Flyingfish2019 · 13/04/2019 07:23

I have to wear long ones, so that they most likely will look like tights. I wear kneelength dresses. I thought about getting tights but how does it feel to wear them? Do you notice them a

How did your dhs feel about you wearing the stockings or did you remove them before he came home?

OP posts:
Phineyj · 13/04/2019 07:24

There is a US company on Amazon that sell decent footless ones (they're called L'eggs I think - will look). I've only got them in black but they're a very high quality fine knit and under a dress just look like normal leggings. If your legs feel better in them try to see them as your friends not the enemy? Sadly some of us (including me) have got bad genetics on this front.

Mummyjsa · 13/04/2019 07:27

It will be ok. I wear a full body garment after being badly burnt in an accident and it helps with the scarring. It took a while to adjust as I prefer to hide it and the scars as much as possible to save questions, but a slight change in clothing and it’s not too bad. I don’t have to wear it on my legs, so I appreciate in summer that might be harder to accommodate but the benefits will be worth it long term. Good luck. x

Phineyj · 13/04/2019 07:28

Just looked. They are called L'eggs and they do a range of skin tones. Worth a try? Get some now before trade tariffs go on I guess...

Original poster
Flyingfish2019 · 13/04/2019 07:29

@crazycadetmum: I just wonder if there is any other advise you could give me as a nurse.
I enjoy sports, I am skinny, do not smoke, do not sunbath, rarely ever drink alcoholic drinks, started having cold showers after Iowa’s operated on. Why do I have this kind of problem? What else is there I could do to prevent it?

OP posts:
pollyhampton · 13/04/2019 07:33

Oh my goodness, I'm sure your husband wont care as long as they're helping your legs! Please dont remove them just because he's around! I've worn them for prolonged periods and just went for bright colours.

Mummyjsa · 13/04/2019 07:35

And please don’t worry about what your partner thinks. He’s been with you through four children, and life’s ups and downs, put your health first, I’m sure he won’t care x

soulrider · 13/04/2019 07:36

I thought the biggest risk factors for varicose veins were genetics and being female so I'm not sure there's much else you can do to prevent.

DreamingofSunshine · 13/04/2019 07:38

My DH said he would have been very upset if I wasn't doing something that was important for my health just to look good. I didn't sleep in them so never had them on for dtd.
L'eggs rings a bell for me. I do sympathise OP, I felt very sorry for myself having to wear them but I just saw it as something I had to do in the same way some people need mobility aids or portable oxygen etc.

PositiveVibez · 13/04/2019 07:41

How did your dhs feel about you wearing the stockings or did you remove them before he came home?

Please put this concern to the bottom of your list! If he is the type to mention something unflattering, then he's a pig. If it's just your own insecurity, t please do not worry. This is your health you are talking about.

crazycadetmum · 13/04/2019 08:13

Sadly genetics plays a part in varcoise veins, it does sound like your doing all the right things..carry on with all those things and wear the stockings. Look after the skin on your legs too, plenty of emoilent and elevate legs when resting although as busy mum that’s easier said than done. Prevention is key..sadly the stockings are part of that.